Windowed display carton

ABSTRACT

A windowed carton for use during retail sale and including a transparent internal tray for containing, positioning and displaying a product. The tray is adapted with integral support members for providing strength and rigidity to the carton.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to a windowed carton for use during retail sale, and more specifically, to such a carton including a transparent internal support for containing, positioning and displaying a product such as a musical instrument while additionally providing support to the carton.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0002] A common problem with windowed retail cartons is that the cut-out window used to provide a view of the product inside tends to weaken the structure of the carton and cause damage during handling.

[0003] Furthermore, many such cartons fail to have sufficient rigidity to support additional cartons stacked thereon such as during shipping and stock-keeping.

[0004] For these reasons, it is common to add additional support components into the carton, such as Styrofoam or cardboard blocks. Of course, this results in additional cost in both materials and environmental waste, but additionally, this results in increased shipping weight and complexity during packing and unpacking.

[0005] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a structurally improved windowed carton.

[0006] It is an additional object to provide a structure for a windowed carton that lessens the material needed for adequate support.

[0007] Another object is to provide a windowed carton ensemble that allows the user to easily remove the product and to properly repack it if desired.

[0008] Another object is to provide an ensemble structure that allows the ensemble to be stood on end or multiply stacked.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0009] One or more of the above mentioned objects along with other objects, are accomplished by a carton that has a planar windowed display face, a planar back face parallel to the display face, and a plurality of connecting planar side faces disposed therebetween. The carton thus defines an inner chamber for containing a product. A tray surrounds the product to fix the product into a desired location within the inner chamber and to provide protection of the product through the carton's window. The tray is transparent to provide a view of the product through the window. The tray is adapted with support members at various locations corresponding to areas of the carton which are structurally weakened by the window and which are prone to usual shipping and handling damage.

[0010] Thus, the carton and tray assembly provide adequate structural support for the product within, while additionally allowing a potential purchaser to view the product within, and without additional supporting components or the additional costs associated therewith.

[0011] The invention may be best understood with a view of the following drawings and description of its preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0012] These and other objects and features of the invention will become more apparent upon a perusal of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0013]FIG. 1 generally shows a top perspective view of a windowed carton and tray ensemble according to the present invention, having a guitar disposed therein;

[0014]FIG. 2 shows an exploded view of the ensemble of FIG. 1;

[0015]FIG. 3 shows a front view of the ensemble of FIG. 1;

[0016]FIG. 4 shows a partial side cross-sectional view of the ensemble of FIG. 1, taken at line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

[0017]FIG. 5 shows an end cross-sectional view of the ensemble of FIG. 1, taken at line 5-5 of FIG. 3; and

[0018]FIG. 6 shows an end cross-sectional view of the ensemble of FIG. 1, taken at line 6-6 of FIG. 3.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0019] The preferred embodiment of a windowed carton and tray ensemble 100, including a guitar 102 contained therein is shown in FIGS. 1-6. Ensemble 100 includes carton 104 and transparent tray 107. The carton 104 is constructed of cardboard and includes a planar display face 106 including a window 110 for viewing a portion 108 of the guitar 102 therethrough. The carton 104 additionally includes a planar back face 112 parallel to the display face 106, and a plurality of connecting planar side faces disposed therebetween, including bottom face 114, top face 116, and right and left side faces 120L and 120R, respectively. The carton 104 thus defines an inner chamber 122 for containing the tray 107 and guitar 102. The tray 107 is constructed of a thermo-formed transparent plastic sheet, preferably polystyrene, and includes an inverted basket 124 contoured for surrounding the portion 108 of the guitar 102 and also includes a flange 126, whose peripheral edge 130 is shaped to correspond to the inner chamber 122, thereby rigidly positioning the guitar 102 in a desired location within the inner chamber 122 so that the portion 108 of the guitar 102 is viewable through window 110 and tray 107, while the guitar 102 is additionally protected from tampering by the tray 107.

[0020] The tray 107 is adapted with three supporting struts 132A through 132C, disposed at locations corresponding to areas of the carton 104 which are structurally weakened by the window 110. The tray is additionally adapted with supporting strut 132D at the lower sharp corner 136 of the carton 104 which is most prone to usual shipping and handling damage. These supporting struts are formed integrally with the tray 107 and of material otherwise already used by the tray 107 and are therefore provided without additional cost. They provide sufficient structural support to allow the carton 104 to be stood on end during retail display, as shown in FIG. 1, or to be stacked during shipping and stock-keeping.

[0021] It should also be appreciated that the shape of carton 104 somewhat mimics the general shape of the guitar 102, and the position of the guitar 102 within the carton 104 renders the guitar's strings 140 viewable through the window 110. In fact, except for the tamper protection afforded by the transparent tray 107, the strings 140 would be accessible to the potential purchaser. This arrangement does however allow the potential user to simulate the holding and use of the guitar 102 without removing the guitar 102 from the carton 104 and without actually touching the strings 140, which is found to be an incentive during the purchasing decision.

[0022] The afore-described carton and tray ensemble is merely the preferred of an infinite variety of embodiments of the invention and it should be understood that the true scope of the invention should only be limited by the following claims and equivalents thereto. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A carton assembly for containing and displaying a product and comprising: a carton having a plurality of walls defining an inner chamber for containing the product, at least one of said walls containing a viewing window therethrough; and a transparent tray disposed within said inner chamber and contoured to engage both the product and at least a portion of said inner chamber to thereby support and position the product rigidly within said inner chamber such that at least a portion of the product is viewable through said viewing window.
 2. The carton assembly of claim 1 wherein said transparent tray is interposed between said window and said at least a portion of the product to protect the product from tampering through said window.
 3. The carton assembly of claim 2 wherein said transparent tray further comprises one or more support members formed integrally therein and adapted for engaging said inner chamber to increase the rigidity of said carton.
 4. The carton assembly of claim 3 wherein said tray further comprises a basket contoured to engage the product, and a flange contoured to engage said at least a portion of the inner chamber to thereby position the product within said inner chamber such that the product is viewable and protected through said window.
 5. The carton assembly of claim 4 wherein said one or more support members comprise one or more struts extending between and engaging said flange and said basket.
 6. The carton assembly of claim 5 wherein the product is a guitar having a body with strings disposed on the face thereof, and said basket is contoured to contain and protect the body and strings, and said tray is adapted to position the guitar within said inner chamber such that the body and strings thereof are viewable and protected through said window.
 7. The carton assembly of claim 1 wherein said transparent tray further comprises one or more support members formed integrally therein and adapted for engaging said inner chamber to increase the rigidity of said carton.
 8. The carton assembly of claim 7 wherein said tray further comprises a basket contoured to engage the product, and a flange contoured to engage said at least a portion of the inner chamber to thereby position the product within said inner chamber such that the product is viewable through said window.
 9. The carton assembly of claim 8 wherein said one or more support members comprise one or more struts extending between and engaging said flange and said basket.
 10. The carton assembly of claim 9 wherein the product is a guitar having a body with strings disposed on the face thereof, and said basket is contoured to contain the body and strings, and said tray is adapted to position the guitar within said inner chamber such that the body and strings thereof are viewable through said window.
 11. A carton having a musical instrument contained therein, wherein said carton has a shape generally contoured to the instrument and a window shaped and arranged to allow a potential purchaser sufficient access to the instrument to simulate use of the instrument without removal thereof from said carton.
 12. The carton of claim 11 further including a transparent shield interposed between said window and the instrument to protect the instrument from damage by the potential purchaser while allowing at least a partial view of the instrument through the window.
 13. The carton of claim 12 wherein the musical instrument is a guitar and wherein said carton is contoured to mimic the general shape of the guitar and said window is shaped and arranged to allow the potential user access substantially adjacent to the guitar's strings, so that the potential user can thereby simulate holding and use of the guitar without removal thereof from the carton.
 14. The carton of claim 13 wherein said carton comprises a plurality of walls defining an inner chamber for containing the guitar and including a face wall containing said window, and said transparent shield comprises a tray disposed within said inner chamber and contoured to engage the guitar and a portion of said inner chamber to thereby support and position the guitar rigidly within said inner chamber.
 15. The carton assembly of claim 14 wherein said tray further comprises a plurality of support members formed integrally therein and adapted for engaging said inner chamber to increase the rigidity of said carton.
 16. The carton assembly of claim 15 wherein said tray further comprises a basket contoured to engage the guitar's body, and a flange contoured to engage said portion of the inner chamber to thereby position the guitar within said inner chamber.
 17. The carton assembly of claim 16 wherein said support members are struts extending between and engaging said flange and said basket. 